Fort Totten (Queens, New York)
Queens · New York · Civil War
History & Significance
The fort was established at Willets Point after the federal government purchased the land in 1857 from the Willets family, with construction beginning in 1862. The initial design was drawn up by Robert E. Lee in 1857 and modified during construction by Chief Engineer Joseph G. Totten.
The fort was designed with four tiers of cannon facing the water totaling 68 guns—a feature shared only by Castle Williams on Governors Island, Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, and Fort Point in San Francisco. However, construction was abandoned after the war as masonry forts were considered obsolete following severe damage in the Civil War; only one tier and part of a second tier of the two seacoast walls were completed.
From 1861 to 1898 the fort area was known as Camp Morgan, named for New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan; in 1869 the Engineer School of Application was established there, remaining until 1901. One of the school's first missions was the development of underwater minefields, with Major Henry Larcom Abbot instrumental in developing these systems.
The fort was improved around 1900 with long-range coastal guns and became the chief fort for protection of the 'back door' to New York City opposite Fort Schuyler. In 1922 the 62nd Coast Artillery was stationed at Fort Totten, and in 1941 it set up the first anti-aircraft radar installation on the east coast and served as headquarters for the anti-aircraft portion of the Eastern Defense Command during World War II.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Four-tier Civil War-era masonry fortress with unique cannon placements overlooking East River
- Historic fortification designed under Robert E. Lee
- Waterfront park setting with views of Long Island Sound
- Active Army Reserve, NYPD, and FDNY training facilities adjacent to public grounds
Sources
- https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/forts/totten
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Totten_(Queens)
- https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/nyhs/pr326_fort_totten/
- https://hdc.org/borough/fort-totten/
- https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-totten-park/highlights/12150